Five Times Sherlock Showed He Cared and the One Time He Said It Aloud
by Vienna Warren
Summary: Sherlock loves his brother dearly, although he may not always express this love with words. Six drabbles featuring brotherly bonding between Sherlock and Mycroft. Reviews are always appreciated.
1. Chapter 1: Puzzle

Mycroft Holmes had wished for a "challenging" jigsaw puzzle for quite sometime. To be honest, Sherlock didn't really find them all that interesting and wondered why Mycroft were so fixated on them when there were so many other interesting birthday presents to potentially receive. His parents obviously didn't understand either because every single year, Mycroft opened a large, brightly wrapped puzzle, usually with 400 pieces or less. In other words, totally unacceptable. But he'd always put on a thin smile and thank his parents because they meant well, truly.

This year, however, Sherlock was determined to find a satisfying gift. After saving up his tiny allowance, he had finally found something worth his attention: a 5000 piece puzzle of Edvard Munch's _The Scream_. Mycroft was a fan of fine art so it very well was perfect for him.

Seeing the rectangular box in navy grey wrapping paper, Mycroft's heart sank. "_Well, at least the wrapping's different and not some blindingly neon colour", _he thought. But upon tearing it open, he was most pleasantly surprised.

"Wow!" he breathed. "Five thousand pieces? Mother, where did you even find this?"

"I didn't sweetheart." Mrs. Holmes looked at her husband expectantly. "Did you—"

"Not me."

As if this was his cue, a tiny hand raised itself up. "I found it at the shop two blocks down from Pim's."

Mycroft's eyebrows shot up and their mother voiced what he didn't dare.

"You went all that way by yourself?"

"Yes, but—"

"Sherlock, that was sweet of you, but you mustn't do it again. What if something had happened to you?"

"Nevermind that," Mr. Holmes interrupted, "he's a smart boy. The real question is where'd you get the money?"

Mrs. Holmes was about to lightly hit her spouse on the shoulder but quickly realised it was just his dry sense of humour.

"Thanks, Sherlock." Mycroft said, smiling at his little brother, who wasn't looking at him.

"It wasn't _that _hard to find."

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><p><strong>AN – Hope this isn't too soon for another "the five times" trope, but I got this request from a guest on ("And as for a prompt – how about five times Sherlock showed he cared about Mycroft, and the one time he said it out loud? (In his Holmesian way, of course).") and I absolutely had to take it. Reviews are appreciated. In this one, Mycroft is 14 and Sherlock is seven. Also, sorry I haven't posted in awhile! This weekend's been busy and with my two favourite people, Paul and Ringo, performing? Hells yeah. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy the drabbles!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2: Debatable Suicide

Mycroft sat down on his sofa and stared at his chow mein guiltily. "_To eat or not to eat,"_ he thought glumly,_ "that is the question."_

He picked up his chopsticks and clicked on the television. He stared at the screen, not really seeing, until a certain _'Breaking News!'_ caption caught his eye. Mycroft took a sip of his water and choked, nearly coughing up a lung. He lunged for the control remote and frantically tapped the volume.

"Susan Formack here. A man that had previously made an attempt on one of our government officials, unnamed of course, has been killed or rather, has killed _himself_." an anchor-woman explained. "This just in of course, but we appear to have a witness! The police have just brought him in, let's see what he has to say. Are you there Macy?"

Another woman, obviously filming from a different section of London, nodded.

"Hello, Susan! Macy Grimes reporting live to you with a witness that actually saw the suicide. Here he is."

None other than Sherlock Holmes, dressed in a painfully fake beard and God forbid, skinny jeans. Mycroft pinched the bridge of his nose; his brother was horrible with disguises.

"Alexander Geo—I mean, I saw the man on his balcony and I, you know, didn't have a clue who he was, shouted out, 'No, mate, don't do it!' but it was far too late. He was broken, on the pavement." Sherlock sighed and ran his hands through his hair as if the very memory was hard for him to bear. "I just can't believe he really—that he jumped, you know? You never think people will do it until their feet actually l-leave the ground." His voice cracked and the interviewer looked sympathetic.

"Poor dear," she said, looking at the camera, "back to you Susan."

Susan returned to the screen, shaking her head. "Macy, I don't quite know how to feel. I suppose the government won't have to worry about tracking him down. In other news—"

Mycroft turned off the television. "Oh, Sherlock…" he tsk-tsked. "What would I've done had you been caught?"

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><p><strong>AN - So, I hope you don't mind that these are drabbles and not full blown chapters. I just felt like that was the right way to go for this particular one. Anyway, I'll post two tonight and save the rest for the next few days. Have a great night, all! (Also, Guest, thanks for your fantastic review! I'm so thrilled you're liking it so far!) Thanks VioletErin.26 for your awesome review too!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3: Fat

Mycroft stared at his plate and cleared his throat. He pushed his mashed potatoes to the side of his plate and distracted his parents with conversation. "It's so nice coming home from university."

"We're glad you're home, Myc." His parents refused to use his full name, despite it being on his birth certificate.

Mycroft chewed some of his broccoli up and discreetly spit it in his napkin, pretending to be wiping his mouth. "Excellent cooking, Mother."

Sherlock, though he was still a teenager, frowned. He could see right through Mycroft's act. Making conversation, hiding some food, condensing it all to give the illusion that some of it had been eaten… it was child's play. Sherlock wondered how his parents _missed _it.

Mycroft had been consumed with the idea that he was overweight. Sherlock knew that statistically, he was not overweight but Mycroft wouldn't have it. In his own eyes, he was grossly large and it killed his self confidence.

Later, after dinner, Mycroft nearly had a heart attack when Sherlock approached him from behind.

"Sherlock!" Mycroft yelped, turning around quickly. "What do you want?"

"You're not fat, Mycroft." Sherlock announced and left.

Mycroft stared after him until he shut his bedroom door. His brother was such an enigma oftentimes but other times, so predictable and easy to understand.

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><p><strong>AN - Sorry for not posting yesterday. The winter storm has been a little bit chaotic, especially towards the roadways. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed that drabble. Thanks VioletErin.26 and Prothoe for your kind words :)<strong>


	4. Chapter 4: Final Exams

"Leave me alone, Sherlock!" Mycroft snapped, flipping a page in his textbook. "I'm trying to study."

"But I'm _bored_." his younger brother Sherlock whined.

"Then go do something! I've got my final exams tomorrow and they're rather important to me!"

"Everyone knows you'll ace your exams." Sherlock mumbled, sliding down into a seated position, his head against Mycroft's bedroom door.

The elder Holmes scoffed. "I don't know that."

"Can't we go _do _something? C'mon Mycroft, let's play deductions!"

"Sherlock!" Mycroft reprimanded. "Get out."

"Apologies, I didn't know you were currently experiencing your menstrual cycle." Sherlock grumbled, barely ducking in time as a shoe whizzed past his curly hair.

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><p>Mycroft Holmes held his head in his hands. Usually, he didn't get this… emotional over exams. But these were his first final exams in a university and they were quite nerve-racking to say the least. Mrs. Holmes had brought her son a tea in hopes of calming him down a bit but not even the lemon-ginger concoction could ease this anxiety.<p>

Just when he was about to resign and abandon all hope, a beautiful sound wafted through his bedrooms walls. Closing his eyes and listening carefully, Mycroft identified the tune: one of his favourites, "Romance from The Gadfly" by Dmitri Shostakovich. It was a elegant, soothing, sometimes melancholy sounding piece and _this _did calm his anxious mind.

Mycroft, feeling very much like a small boy, got out of his desk and sat down, back up against the wall. He pressed his ear to the drywall and closed his eyes, letting his brother's music consume him.

Although Mycroft didn't know it, Sherlock was mirroring his brother's posture. Sherlock was also leaning against the other side of the wall, eyes closed, playing his violin as if it were only him and the violin, nothing else in the universe.

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><p><strong>AN - Such a positive response I've gotten on this story! Thanks to all who reviewed (Daundelyon, Singstar4 and Prothoe!) of course. Hope this drabble was satisfying... I think we <strong>**_all _****know just how stressful final exams can be. But Shostakovich's "Romance" makes it all better, especially when Sherlock's the one playing it :) Enjoy!**


	5. Chapter 5: Interview

_"That inept sycophant!" _Mycroft fumed, slamming a textbook on his desk. How could his brother take his car keys? Where the bloody hell did he need to go anyway? Mycroft was due for another presentation for one of his interviews in… he checked his pocketwatch. Four hours! How inconsiderate, not that Sherlock actually considered anyone else's feelings. _"I should be used to this sort of behaviour,"_ Mycroft reprimanded himself,_ "it's typical."_

* * *

><p>As soon as he heard the garage door opening, Mycroft was at the door, ready to confront his brother. The door flew open, nearly taking Mycroft's nose with it.<p>

"Sherlock! I have an interview in…" Mycroft glanced at his watch again. "Three hours, five minutes and 24 seconds! I don't understand why you would so ignorantly take—"

Sherlock thrust a cup of coffee into his older brother's hand and tossed a paper bag at him, which Mycroft barely caught without spilling the liquid caffeine.

"Fact. You have circles under your eyes. Fact. You're irrational and irritable. Fact. You've been studying in your office for hours and obviously through the night. Deduction. You've got a presentation, a speech or something, you mentioned an interview, and you're noticeably nervous. I figured you'd need something to keep you awake and calm during the presentation, so coffee was an obvious choice. Lots of caffeine so you don't feel the immediate need to pass out unconscious. Warm drinks are statistically proven to be calming to nerves so hot coffee. Additionally, I've gotten some bagels because I'm just guessing you haven't eaten in roughly…" Sherlock checked his own watch. "Thirteen hours and hmmm… 37 minutes. Good luck, although you won't need luck, but rather, pure skill. Good day."

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><p>AN - Funny story... I thought I posted this one <em>yesterday<em> but it turns out, I didn't! Apologies, but here it is now. Hope it's to everyone's liking.


	6. Chapter 6: Drowning

"Sherlock! I came as soon as I heard." John gasped out as he jogged up to Sherlock Holmes. "They barely even let me in here. What the hell happened?"

"He was kidnapped, tortured for a bit and they said there's a gunshot wound, but I'm not sure, not sure what's going on and I… I…" Sherlock suddenly became aware that he wasn't breathing, ohgod, he _couldn't _breathe, what was happening, what was going on, Mycroft, Mycroft—

"Sherlock. Look at me. It's John, you've got to look at me right now. Can you hear me? Sit down, please!" John spoke loudly but his friend couldn't hear a thing. John grabbed Sherlock by the wrist and yanked him down and they sat together up against the cool concrete walls.

Sherlock felt like he was drowning. He couldn't get any oxygen in his lungs, despite the fact that he was taking huge, gulping breaths. His skin felt prickly and hot and he wanted to scratch it all off, _tear_ it all off actually, but John wouldn't let him.

"You're having a panic attack and I know it's uncomfortable but focus. You know where you are?"

"Safe house." Sherlock wheezed. He blinked rapidly and vaguely wondered if he was going to do something embarrassing, say, cry.

"Okay, good. Why are we here? Think, give me facts."

Facts. Facts! Facts were good, they were excellent! Sherlock squeezed his eyes shut and brought his hands to either side of his head.

"Mycroft's-been-hurt-and-he's-getting-surgery." the detective rushed, not taking a breath.

"Try again?"

"Mycroft's been hurt and he's getting surgery." Sherlock explained slowly this time. "I'm waiting here until he's awake. They've been operating for three hours so I'd estimate I'll be able to enter his hospital room in 54 minutes. Approximately."

"Good, right. Just in and out, okay?" John put his hand on Sherlock's back and to his surprise, the dark-haired man didn't flinch away. Could he have actually enjoyed the touch? Maybe 'enjoyed' was too strong a word, but still…

* * *

><p>"Sherlock Holmes?" A man wielding a clipboard stepped outside of a room, staring at the pair of men still leaning up against the wall. "Which one of you is Sherlock Holmes?"<p>

John stared at his friend's blank expression and waited for him to speak up.

After an awkward pause, John cleared his throat. "Er, he is. _Sherlock_," he hissed, "let's go!"

"This way please. And, erm, no friends please, immediate family only." The doctor glanced menacingly in John's direction.

"I'll wait out here, hmm?" he squeezed Sherlock's shoulder gently just before he entered Mycroft's room.

* * *

><p>"Your brother was drugged with chloroform—" the doctor began.<p>

"I know." Sherlock interrupted.

"Okay then, he was shot with a—"

"Yes, yes, I know that too! Get on with it!"

"We've realised that he was tortured with a number of small—"

"Is there a bloody thing you know that I don't?!"

The doctor pursed his lips and glared at the opposing man. "Sir, I—"

"What did you do to him? In the surgery."

"My surgical team and I removed bullet fragments from under your brother's lung, which was unharmed. We've set a few broken fingers, two of his ribs are cracked, so he'll be in some pain for the next couple of days. He's got some minor cuts along the face, stomach and back. He's received nine stitches on his arm."

"Well is that all?" the detective asked smartly.

"Ehem, er, he's currently on a morphine drip and I've prescribed him to start off with a dose of tramadol."

"Dosage amount? I'm sure my brother won't appreciate dosages you've prescribed that are too high in amount." Sherlock snapped. The doctor looked exasperated.

"Look, I'm just trying to do my job."

"Play nice, Sherlock…" a voice mumbled. Sherlock turned to at his brother's pale form.

"You can leave us." Sherlock instructed the doctor. "And do tell John everything's alright."

"John's 'ere as well?" Mycroft slurred, looking up at Sherlock.

"He is."

"Does Mother know?"

"As of now, no."

"Don't tell her… please."

Sherlock studied his older brother's face. "Pain scale?"

"Hmm… 7.5." Mycroft coughed sharply, winching in pain. Sherlock nodded, trying not to portray any strong, irrelevant emotions.

"I'll tell them to increase your morphine amount." To his surprise, there was no objecting from Mycroft. He did however groan.

"What's… um, what're you…" Sherlock couldn't find the words, all of a sudden.

Mycroft gave him a forced smile. "No need to look so flustered. I'm just… I just feel… sick."

"The feeling of nausea is a common symptom when first put on morphine."

"I know… I just… tired." he grumbled, incoherently. Sherlock bit his lip, then quickly stopped. What was he doing?

"Mycroft," he stared, feeling nervous, "I wanted to tell you…"

"Mmm…"

"I, er, well, I…"

Mycroft's eyes were closed, but he was still half-listening.

"Don't you ever get kidnapped again." Sherlock decided. "It… it alarmed me and I dislike the feeling. It's uncomfortable and impractical and do not do this again. Please."

"Never though' I'd 'ere tha' from you." Mycroft was fighting sleep to say these last few words.

"Your intelligence never fails you. I think both you and I know you won't remember this conversation tomorrow. The drugs and your 'traumatic experience' will take care of that."

"I… am aware." Mycroft spoke slowly, in a daze. He was slipping in and out of consciousness and he knew that too. "Thank you… Sherlock."

"Of course." His brother responded, watching as Mycroft's eyes closed and he started to breathe more heavily. "Brother mine."

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><p><strong>AN - Hello, all! Wow! Last chapter... My apologies for taking so long. I had some terrible writer's block for the last chapter and kept trying to write, but it just wasn't working out. Finally, it just hit me and this is what I decided to go with; it seemed right. Special thanks to VioletErin.26, Prothoe, start2run (You're right, that did sound too American... I should've known. Hope that didn't ruin it for you!), Singstar4, Guest and SkylarkOfTheMoon. Everyone who read the story, thanks to you guys too! :) Next story in the making will be a sick!Mycroft fic with Sherlock taking care of him. I have three more Sherlock related requests, so you'll all be seeing a LOT of Sherlock stuff in the future. WHEW! :) Hope everyone has a fantastic week!<strong>


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